Professional HR Interim
I'm a commercial HR professional who has delivered significant cultural change & commercial improvements within fast paced local & global enterprises. I've been successful in entrepreneurial businesses funded by Private Equity, Venture Capitalists & trading on AIM; as well as with Financial Services, FTSE 100 Retail, FMCG & Media businesses. I've made a significant contribution within:
- FMCG businesses building premium brands in new European markets;
- Retail & Leisure businesses developing customer-centric cultures where individuals deliver exacting brand standards;
- Publishing & Media organizations needing to increase global sales, & adapt to changing business models resulting from web initiatives & the shifting advertising landscape.
I've delivered measurable results in new business start-ups, & large scale change programmes. I've excelled with organizations that needed to:
- identify & adapt to their Future Operating Model, restructure & realign to the market, & break down functional silos;
- develop the ability to innovate, change & adapt, as core competencies;
- improve their ability to trade internationally;
- ensure customers experience a brand promise through employee contacts.
I work in partnership with leaders & senior managers, to develop business driven people strategies. I quickly establish credibility & strong working relationships through asking intelligent, insightful questions, & designing bespoke solutions. I bring broad HR expertise, & an in-depth understanding of psychology & how both people & organisations change.
As an experienced interim HR Professional I help businesses engage their people & develop organisations geared to delivering business goals.
I've helped businesses:
- Develop HR strategies, & align HR activity to enable the business to deliver to its strategy
- Structure the organisation & build the capabilities required to succeed, long-term
- Develop a high performance culture
- Develop a pipeline of Talent
- Develop resilient, (intelligently) optimistic Leaders who thrive in ambiguity, & instill confidence & commitment to deliver what the business needs
- Ensure individuals, managers, & leaders are capable of constantly embracing & orchestrating change
- Manage restructures in a professional, personal manner that protects the organisation’s reputation & future capacity
- Develop managers’ ability to coach & develop their people ‘on the job’ or through stretching responsibilities/projects
- Ensure employees focus on delivering what customers want
- Ensure employees know what they’re expected to deliver, have the skills & knowledge required to do their jobs, & are equipped to keep learning & changing
- Engage employees – encouraging individuals to choose to take personal responsibility for delighting customers, increasing revenue, improving productivity, & maximising profits
- Encourage innovation & entrepreneurship
I have a proven track record in helping companies develop cultures that inspire people to care about business results, & give their best. I've helped a number of managers & leaders create organisations where their people deliver quality service standards & profits, whilst also having fun, & growing. I've enjoyed helping managers recruit, develop, & retain Talent; & develop strong sales, support, & leadership teams in a number of business sectors. I built the foundations for Pret’s award winning culture, & I helped itsu create the people foundations for their brand.
Throughout my career I’ve been instrumental in bringing about change within organisations – both in developing entrepreneurial start-up operations & large, established businesses instigating significant change programmes. Following a successful permanent career covering the depth & breadth of HR, I successfully completed interim projects with FremantleMedia, TK Maxx, Starbucks, New Look, Thomsons Online Benefits, & the Financial Times, & was asked to manage additional assignments or consider permanent roles, with all of my clients.
I bring 20+ years commercial experience backed up by an honours degree in Social Psychology, graduating from the Institute of Personnel Management, gaining accreditation in a variety of personality profiling tools, training in Coaching for Organisation Consultants with Ashridge Business School, & attending the ‘HR Strategy in Transforming Organisations’ programme at London Business School.
I have developed expertise in the way individuals & organisations learn & change, & I’m keen to take on challenging interim HR assignments where I can help leaders achieve their goals through their people.
Please do get in touch if there are opportunities to improve the way your people contribute to your success. I’ll gladly spend some time discussing how I might help you achieve your goals.
“Amanda is creative and engaging in delivering work that is both fit for purpose and fit for the future. Amanda makes the effort to engage at every level in the organisation to ensure complete understanding and best use of time to deliver results. Her creative approach is a delight and often provides a new dimension to the thought leadership already available in the business. I would not hesitate to re-engage her if a suitable opportunity arose and I would recommend her without hesitation.”
Linda Owen, Group HR Director, New Look